Top positive review

5.0 out of 5 starsA great heir to the original G-Shock, updated with solar-charging and atomic synch

ByLee Kon February 1, 2016

The direct descendent of the original Casio G-Shock that was released in 1983 is the GW-5000, which is available as an import from Japan. This GW-M5610 is a first cousin of that pricier watch and it carries on the tradition of tough square G-Shocks. What you lose from the GW-5000 is the stainless steel case with a screwed-down back whereas the GW-M5610 has a resin case with a stainless steel back plate held down with four screws. Both watches have identical features including solar charging, atomic time synchronization, World Time, four daily alarms with snooze function, a countdown timer, a stopwatch, and electroluminescent illumination that can be automatically engaged with the movement of your wrist in a dark environment. The GW-M5610 gets a red surround and white, blue, and yellow writing on the face which makes it a little busier aesthetically than more monochromatic versions of the 5000 and 5600 series.

The first thing I noticed about the watch is how much smaller, thinner, and lighter it is compared to round G-Shock versions I own. It is an excellent choice to wear under long sleeves and jackets because it easily fits underneath them with minimal interference. I will be using this watch in the winter months for daily wear due to its sleek profile. The second thing of note is the crisp clarity of the numbers in the positive LCD screen. It surpasses my Casio Pro-Trek PRW-3500 in regards to off-axis legibility even though the Pro-Trek’s digits are 50% larger than the GW-M5610’s. I am really impressed with how good this watch’s display is.

I find the strap fits comfortably on my 7-1/2 inch wrist. The light weight makes me forget that I am even wearing a watch at all. Contrary to the dozens of complaints from previous owners here on Amazon, my auto backlight function works perfectly fine even though I leave it shut off in order to conserve power. My watch was manufactured on January 8, 2015 so maybe Casio has finally fixed the issue with faulty backlight switches. There are several one star reviews of this watch here because of this issue and I honestly cannot understand how one can downgrade the rating of the entire watch due to one feature that most G-Shock users end up turning off anyway. The auto backlight duration unfortunately is not adjustable like my Pro-Trek and Gulfmaster. I would prefer the ability to lengthen it from 1 second to 3, but this is a minor nit.

The function buttons are all recessed into a protective niche on the side of the case so pressing them only works for me when I use the tip of a fingernail. Action is positive and appropriate for the pressing force I apply. The World Time, stop watch, and timer functions all work like other Casio digital watches and are intuitively accessed with mode button. The one complaint I do have is that the volume of the alarm signal is very weak and probably would not wake a person from a deep sleep. If Amazon’s star rating system would allow it, I would subtract a half star for this and would suggest not relying on this watch for important wake-ups and instead using the alarm from dedicated alarm clock or smart phone. Note that this isn’t any different than the other Casio solar-charged watches, so it may be a function of reduced battery capacity.

My watch arrived from Amazon with the power reserve showing at the Medium level. I put it out in the sun for about 30 minutes and the reading went to High. I set my home city, clicked Daylight Savings Time to the automatic setting, and synched the watch to the atomic clock signal in Ft. Collins without any trouble. Each evening just after midnight it synchs automatically so the watch always has an accurate time reading. I’ve had no issues with not receiving the signal but then again I live in a state bordering Colorado and all my atomic watches synch each day without fail.

This watch is a great heir to the spirit of the original G-Shock. It wears small and comfortably on the wrist, is tough as nails, cost about one-third of what the GW-5000 does, has the accuracy of atomic synching, should run for a decade or more on the original solar battery (note that all solar watches will need to have the rechargeable battery replaced as some time in their lives), and has a very clear and legible display.

As a long-time G-Shock owner, I have previously been drawn to only the round case models. I find it remarkable that after finally taking the plunge with this square case GW-M5610 that I have been absolutely delighted by this watch. It’s certainly not very flashy and has a nerdy charm of its own. No one in going to compliment you on it, but that’s all part of the fun of being a G-Shock fan. I now regret taking so long to come around to the Square Side and can recommend this watch most highly.

Top critical review

Great watch, i really like it. I have worn several of the cheap $20 Casio watches and they were great and lasted for years. The battery finally died on my old beat up cheap Casio i wanted something with more features but i didn't want too much. My friend has one of the ABC Pathfinder watches and its really cool but way too big for me i tried it on and it was so bulky. This G-Shock is Medium sized, lightweight and is perfect for me, i never notice it snagging on clothes or other things during use. My cheap Casio was about the same size as this but thinner it felt awkward on the wrist because it would try to rotate on my wrist and dig into my skin. This G-Shock does not because of the better quality and wider band. The main reason i wanted this model was the atomic time keeping and solar capabilities. On my older models i found the stop watch, timers and alarms were very handy. I used the alarm several times when my phone battery was nearly dead and needed an alarm when i could not charge my phone. Also i like to cook and the timer and stop watch are very handy to have right on the wrist. The manual illumination is great on this watch and very clear at night. The auto illumination function is a little lacking, it works but it triggers too much. I find the auto illumination triggers constantly at night just doing normal movements which is a bit annoying so i leave it off and i am fine with the manual illumination. I wish the watch had a blue tooth sensor so it could pair with my phone to change time zones automatically and update times more often. It will change times in different time zones if you manually trigger the update time settings but it requires manual operation. The manual time update rarely works for me and i think its a bug in the programming. It often fails to manually apply time updates, but if i let it sit it does it automatically at 12am in the exact same location without issue. The manual time updates are a big issue for me i took away a star for it. I also took another star away for the auto illumination triggering constantly. Overall i would buy it again, i think its a fair price with above average performance and features.

Quick recapProseasy to use if you read the manualvery lightweightvery comfortabledoes not snag or catch on everythinglots of cool featureslooks cool and a bit retroautomatic atomic time keepingsolarnice and clear displaythe recessed display does not scratch easily

Consfunction buttons are hard to hit especially in the darkAuto illumination works but triggers too much with basic body momentsmanual time updates rarely works which is annoying if you travel a lottrying to decipher the differences and improvements across the G-Shock 5 series is very confusing and the prices vary drastically.i wish Casio would make a low profile one piece resin band that recesses into the back of the watch and the watch sits flush on the skin. One piece bands are nice because if you loos a pin you do not loose the watch.

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The direct descendent of the original Casio G-Shock that was released in 1983 is the GW-5000, which is available as an import from Japan. This GW-M5610 is a first cousin of that pricier watch and it carries on the tradition of tough square G-Shocks. What you lose from the GW-5000 is the stainless steel case with a screwed-down back whereas the GW-M5610 has a resin case with a stainless steel back plate held down with four screws. Both watches have identical features including solar charging, atomic time synchronization, World Time, four daily alarms with snooze function, a countdown timer, a stopwatch, and electroluminescent illumination that can be automatically engaged with the movement of your wrist in a dark environment. The GW-M5610 gets a red surround and white, blue, and yellow writing on the face which makes it a little busier aesthetically than more monochromatic versions of the 5000 and 5600 series.

The first thing I noticed about the watch is how much smaller, thinner, and lighter it is compared to round G-Shock versions I own. It is an excellent choice to wear under long sleeves and jackets because it easily fits underneath them with minimal interference. I will be using this watch in the winter months for daily wear due to its sleek profile. The second thing of note is the crisp clarity of the numbers in the positive LCD screen. It surpasses my Casio Pro-Trek PRW-3500 in regards to off-axis legibility even though the Pro-Trek’s digits are 50% larger than the GW-M5610’s. I am really impressed with how good this watch’s display is.

I find the strap fits comfortably on my 7-1/2 inch wrist. The light weight makes me forget that I am even wearing a watch at all. Contrary to the dozens of complaints from previous owners here on Amazon, my auto backlight function works perfectly fine even though I leave it shut off in order to conserve power. My watch was manufactured on January 8, 2015 so maybe Casio has finally fixed the issue with faulty backlight switches. There are several one star reviews of this watch here because of this issue and I honestly cannot understand how one can downgrade the rating of the entire watch due to one feature that most G-Shock users end up turning off anyway. The auto backlight duration unfortunately is not adjustable like my Pro-Trek and Gulfmaster. I would prefer the ability to lengthen it from 1 second to 3, but this is a minor nit.

The function buttons are all recessed into a protective niche on the side of the case so pressing them only works for me when I use the tip of a fingernail. Action is positive and appropriate for the pressing force I apply. The World Time, stop watch, and timer functions all work like other Casio digital watches and are intuitively accessed with mode button. The one complaint I do have is that the volume of the alarm signal is very weak and probably would not wake a person from a deep sleep. If Amazon’s star rating system would allow it, I would subtract a half star for this and would suggest not relying on this watch for important wake-ups and instead using the alarm from dedicated alarm clock or smart phone. Note that this isn’t any different than the other Casio solar-charged watches, so it may be a function of reduced battery capacity.

My watch arrived from Amazon with the power reserve showing at the Medium level. I put it out in the sun for about 30 minutes and the reading went to High. I set my home city, clicked Daylight Savings Time to the automatic setting, and synched the watch to the atomic clock signal in Ft. Collins without any trouble. Each evening just after midnight it synchs automatically so the watch always has an accurate time reading. I’ve had no issues with not receiving the signal but then again I live in a state bordering Colorado and all my atomic watches synch each day without fail.

This watch is a great heir to the spirit of the original G-Shock. It wears small and comfortably on the wrist, is tough as nails, cost about one-third of what the GW-5000 does, has the accuracy of atomic synching, should run for a decade or more on the original solar battery (note that all solar watches will need to have the rechargeable battery replaced as some time in their lives), and has a very clear and legible display.

As a long-time G-Shock owner, I have previously been drawn to only the round case models. I find it remarkable that after finally taking the plunge with this square case GW-M5610 that I have been absolutely delighted by this watch. It’s certainly not very flashy and has a nerdy charm of its own. No one in going to compliment you on it, but that’s all part of the fun of being a G-Shock fan. I now regret taking so long to come around to the Square Side and can recommend this watch most highly.

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I really like this watch. The retro look combined with the modern innovation of being solar power is a great blend of classic design merged with modern technology.

What appealed to me about this watch is that it was designed for purely practical and pragmatic reasons, but also the history behind its previous descendants. This model is based on the DW-5600C-1V, the same watch worn by Keanu Reeves in the movie 'Speed', but more impressively, the watch was approved for NASA space missions.

Although this G Shock isn't the DW-5600C-1V, it is a modern upgrade replete with the same qualities which made it so robust.

The watch itself was delivered quickly by Amazon to Australia. Setting up the time was a simple process, and because I have small wrists, I find the bigger G Shocks tend to be a bit big on the wrists and get in the way a bit, this watch however is a good size.

The most impressive thing is the atomic time keeping function of this watch. Currently living in Australia, I am unfortunately unable to take advantage of this feature, however, being someone who travels a lot, I will be taking advantage of this option.

I also constantly use the auto-illumination option, as I am a nurse who frequently works night shifts, this feature is great for keeping time in a dimly lit ward. A simple tilt of my wrist at a 30 degree angle illuminates the time.

Most importantly though, the reason I bought this watch is due to its robustness. This watch will hold up just as well as some of the more expensive G Shocks out there. Being solar powered, I will only have to change the batteries every 10 years or so, not potentially every 2.

A great buy, a great watch made by a reliable company.

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The GWM5610 has become my everyday watch since I bought it back in April. It might not be the most stylish watch I own—though its retro '80s styling makes its own statement—but it's certainly the most versatile, and it's the watch that's on my wrist most of the time.

The solar power and atomic synching is why I bought the watch, and for me, these two features make this watch more than worth the price of admission.

The solar feature works as advertised. The power indicator was at "M" / Medium when the watch was delivered, but bumped up to "H" / High within a couple days, and has stayed there ever since. Granted, the battery won't last forever—maybe 10 to 15 years—but I'll worry about that around 2030.

The atomic sync took a little trial-and-error; being on the east coast, I'm a long way away from the transmitter in Fort Collins. After a few days, I discovered that as long as the 12:00 position on the dial was pointed westward—the direction of the transmitter from my current location—the watch will "catch the wave" every night. On a trip out west, closer to the transmitter, the watch was much less particular about orientation—it even synced from a moving train during an overnight ride. I couldn't get it to sync from a cabin on a cruise ship, though—must be the thick metal hull.

I always want my watch to be as accurate as possible, and the syncing accomplishes this. It's perfectly synced with my computer, my phone, the clocks in train stations and airports. On the cruise when it couldn't sync, it didn't drift more than a second off the actual time, so it looks like the accuracy is pretty good even without the sync.

I've swam with the watch, snorkeled with it, showered with it, dropped it. It doesn't care. It's a G-Shock.

The screen is easy to read. The backlight is nice and bright, though it only lasts for a second or two before it shuts off—shorter than some backlights on non-solar watches. The Auto El works for me, but isn't perfect—occasionally it doesn't go on when you flick your wrist, and occasionally it does go on when you don't need it to—so I generally leave it shut off, unless there's a reason why I need it to light up without physically pressing the button.

As for other features, the World Time is useful for travel—whether it's you in another time zone, or someone you care about. The alarm is not super loud, and it only lasts for 10 seconds—but its loud enough to wake me up, and the snooze feature can make it sound again, just in case you don't hear it the first time it goes off. I use it when travelling. Stopwatch is nice to have; I don't use it that much. The countdown timer I use a lot.

The watch is comfortable to wear. It's not overly bulky like some of the G-Shocks can be. I personally wouldn't want a bigger watch than this one. I like how it looks—it has a classic design. Not that I would wear it with a suit, but I don't have to wear one most of the time.

In short, this watch does everything I need it to do. Thanks to the syncing feature, it keeps perfect time, and thanks to the solar feature and rugged construction, I can expect it to keep doing so.

A lot of folks use smartwatches these days. Maybe I will upgrade to one someday myself. For now, though, many smartwatches lack an always-on display, or lack the rugged construction / water-resistance, or have to be charged daily, or require an Internet connection to maintain the correct time. Personally, I'll hold off on a smartwatch until they're a little more like my G-Shock.

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Great watch, i really like it. I have worn several of the cheap $20 Casio watches and they were great and lasted for years. The battery finally died on my old beat up cheap Casio i wanted something with more features but i didn't want too much. My friend has one of the ABC Pathfinder watches and its really cool but way too big for me i tried it on and it was so bulky. This G-Shock is Medium sized, lightweight and is perfect for me, i never notice it snagging on clothes or other things during use. My cheap Casio was about the same size as this but thinner it felt awkward on the wrist because it would try to rotate on my wrist and dig into my skin. This G-Shock does not because of the better quality and wider band. The main reason i wanted this model was the atomic time keeping and solar capabilities. On my older models i found the stop watch, timers and alarms were very handy. I used the alarm several times when my phone battery was nearly dead and needed an alarm when i could not charge my phone. Also i like to cook and the timer and stop watch are very handy to have right on the wrist. The manual illumination is great on this watch and very clear at night. The auto illumination function is a little lacking, it works but it triggers too much. I find the auto illumination triggers constantly at night just doing normal movements which is a bit annoying so i leave it off and i am fine with the manual illumination. I wish the watch had a blue tooth sensor so it could pair with my phone to change time zones automatically and update times more often. It will change times in different time zones if you manually trigger the update time settings but it requires manual operation. The manual time update rarely works for me and i think its a bug in the programming. It often fails to manually apply time updates, but if i let it sit it does it automatically at 12am in the exact same location without issue. The manual time updates are a big issue for me i took away a star for it. I also took another star away for the auto illumination triggering constantly. Overall i would buy it again, i think its a fair price with above average performance and features.

Quick recapProseasy to use if you read the manualvery lightweightvery comfortabledoes not snag or catch on everythinglots of cool featureslooks cool and a bit retroautomatic atomic time keepingsolarnice and clear displaythe recessed display does not scratch easily

Consfunction buttons are hard to hit especially in the darkAuto illumination works but triggers too much with basic body momentsmanual time updates rarely works which is annoying if you travel a lottrying to decipher the differences and improvements across the G-Shock 5 series is very confusing and the prices vary drastically.i wish Casio would make a low profile one piece resin band that recesses into the back of the watch and the watch sits flush on the skin. One piece bands are nice because if you loos a pin you do not loose the watch.

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Got this watch in the mail today. Fit's great on my wrist and tough solar. Never needs a battery.Looks like my Dw5600e-1v.I like the face of the watch a little better has more on it to look at and a nice red line around the end of the face.New update 1 year To day.l got it on June 5, 2015.Now one year later it still works like the day l got it.l wear it to work, swimming, bike riding, cutting. The.lawn.you name this watch is perfect for anyone. Thanks Amazon.UPDATE ) JUNE 5TH 2017 . I NOW HAVE HAD THIS FOR 2 YEARS. I GOT THIS WATCH IN THE MAIL TODAY 2 YEARS AGO. I'M NOW A BIG GSHOCK COLLECTOR. I HAVE BEEN WEARING GSHOCKS FOR ALMOST 34 YEARS. I HAVE 35 GSHOCK WATCHES AND 5 PROTREK WATCHES .I HAVE 2 RANGEMAN GSHOCK WATCHES. THE GWX 56-1BJF KING GSHOCK. THE GSTEEL SMOKE DIAL GSHOCK. I HAVE THE FROGMAN GWF 1000-1 GSHOCK 4 MUDMAN GSHOCK WATCHES 2 GULFMAN GSHOCKS. AND THE GW7900-1 AND THE G7900-1 GSHOCK. I ALSO HAVE THE DW5600E-1 FOXFIRE. AND THE DW5600-1V GSHOCK AND WAY TO MANY MORE TO MENTION. I LOVE ALL GSHOCKS BIG OR SMALL. I USE THIS WATCH WHEN I GO TO THE GYM. I WEAR IT AT NIGHT WHEN I WATCH TV. I LOVE THIS WATCH. I HAVE A 7 INCH WRIST AND IT FITS GREAT. THE WATCH IS VERY DURABLE. I HAVE SO MANY GSHOCKS. IF I COULD ONLY KEEP ONE WATCH IT WOULD BE THE RANGEMAN GSHOCK. THAT WATCH CAN DO ALMOST ANYTHING . THIS IS MY SECOND FAVORITE. IF YOU LIKE A SMALLER GSHOCK THIS IS PERFECT. TAKE IT FROM A GSHOCK COLLECTOR. THIS WATCH IS A GREAT DURABLE WATCH. YOU WON'T FIND A BETTER DIGITIAL WATCH FOR THE PRICE. THIS LOOKS JUST LIKE THE FIRST GSHOCK TO HIT THE MARKET BACK IN 1983. SOLAR ATOMIC GSHOCK THE GWM5610-1 IS WITH WORLD TIME, COUNT DOWN TIMER. AND STOP WATCH. THE BEST PART ABOUT OWNING THIS WATCH IS SET ONCE AND NEVER HAVE TO SET IT AGAIN. JUST LIKE ALL CASIO GSHOCK SOLAR ATOMIC WATCHES. ENJOY THIS OR ANY OTHER GSHOCK YOU BUY. REMEMBER THAT THE BEST WATCH IS THE ONE THAT FITS YOUR STYLE. ENJOY THIS WATCH OR ANY OTHER GSHOCK WATCH YOU BUY.UPDATE SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 9TH 2017.I BOUGHT ANOTHER GWM5610-1 GSHOCK. I BOUGHT THIS FOR $90.00 ON AMAZON. I NOW HAVE 2 OF THESE WATCHES. I HAVE 37 GSHOCK WATCHES AND 7 CASIO PROTREK WATCHES. I LOVE THIS WATCH SO MUCH FOR A S GSHOCK. THIS LOOKS LIKE THE ORIGINAL DW500 GSHOCK THAT I HAD BACK IN 1983. I HAVE BEEN WEARING GSHOCKS FOR 34 YEAR'S. THIS WATCH IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE WATCHES. BECAUSE IT IS VERY DURABLE AND COMPFORTABLE. THIS IS MY FAVORITE FOR SO MANY REASONS. .BECAUSE IT IS LIGHT ON YOUR WRIST. SET ONCE AND NEVER HAVE TO SET IT AGAIN. OUT OF THE 37 GSHOCK. I OWN. THIS WOULD BE MY SECOND FAVORITE. MY FAVORITE IS THE RANGEMAN GSHOCK. I HAVE 2 OF THEM TO. GOOD LUCK ON ANY GSHOCK WATCH YOU BUY. THIS IS A GREAT LITTLE WATCH THAT'S TOUGH AS ANY OTHER GSHOCK WATCH. LOVE IT. GSHOCKS ROCK.

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Pros: Classic look, solar powered, atomic time sync, comfortableCons: Band sticks out at smaller settings, not made in Japan

The G-Shock is instantly recognizable to the most casual of watch fans to enthusiasts. It is a classic sports watch with a long and reputable history. As a kid, I always wanted a G-Shock, but my wrists were too small for the big, circular ones, and that was the one everyone had. As I got older, my wrists were still below average, but I also started to like the classic square G-Shocks more than its bulky, overly-complicated, and busy counterpart. My wrists are under 6.5", and normally a watch of this diameter would be way too big for me. However, with a very reasonable lug-to-lug length of 47mm, it fits my wrist just fine, and is actually the perfect dimension. I have made this watch my go-to for outdoor occasions and the gym.

If you don't like the bulky, circular G-Shocks, but still want a reliable, digital sports watch, then this is the one for you. There are many variations of this watch, and the cheapest one can be had for under $50 if you don't care about having solar power and atomic time sync. I wanted to splurge a little bit, so I got this model. The solar feature is great because I never have to worry about the battery. I have a few automatic watches, and after a few days of not wearing them, I need to manually wind it or shake it, and set the time again. However, if I leave this watch alone for a few days, I can pick it up and wear it again and it'll have the right time down to the second. If I can only have one watch in an emergency situation, then this is the one. I don't have to worry about power, the time, or babying it because it is always going to be accurate and being a G-Shock, very shock-resistant. Additionally, it supports 29 time zones and has five daily alarms, a stopwatch, timer, calendar, and a backlight.

It also comes with nice additional features like automatic syncing every day (if a radio signal can be found) and automatic backlighting if the watch is tilt a certain angle. The display also shuts itself down if not in use, but comes right back on when tilted. The latter two features are optional and can be turned off if you don't want it, which is a very nice touch.

If you aren't familiar with how radio clock synchronizing works, there are radio towers around the world that broadcast the atomic time, so this watch is able to pick up those signals and set itself automatically. When you first get the watch, all you have to do is set your correct timezone and it will set the time automatically. You can also manually do a sync. It's important to note that this watch only works in the following countries: Germany, England, USA, China, and Japan. It might work in neighboring countries if the radio signal is strong enough.

The solar powered feature is a very convenient thing to have for this watch, and I think it's definitely worth the extra cost. Even though the battery will still need to be replaced at some time, it should last for well over ten years (compared to maybe two years for a regular quartz watch). The power reserve is also impressive. If it is fully charged, it can last for ten months without being exposed to light. This is truly the watch to have in emergency situations.

There aren't many things to nitpick about on this watch. Because I have smaller wrists, when I put it on, the band sticks out a little bit. It doesn't get in the way or anything, but it just looks kind of tacky. I may replace the band with a canvas strap in the future. The only other negative thing I would have to say about this watch is that it is not made in Japan. According to the case back, it is made in Thailand. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing, as it probably kept the price of this watch under $100. There's a similar Japanese-made model on Amazon for almost $300.

If you're looking for an everyday, rugged digital watch that can take a beating, then this is the one. Once you get it and set the timezone, you'll never have to worry about it again. It is comfortable to wear all day and doesn't require much maintenance.

Note: In the pictures, you'll see that my watch has bull bars. This does NOT come with the watch. I bought it mainly for looks, since the watch can probably survive most hits without it. I purchased it separately from a company called JaysAndKays on Etsy. They are a legit, veteran-owned company that sells many accessories for G-Shock watches. I highly recommend you check them out if you're looking to accessorize your watch.

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The watch arrived on-time and in good condition with all paperwork. After reading most of the reviews on this watch, I'm going to distill the commentary into a simple prioritized list of Pros and Cons to provide insight into my preferences. Of note, I set up the watch and tested all functions to include time synchronization with the NIST radio station WWVB near Ft. Collins as well as the Auto Light Switch feature. The watch is fully functional.

Pros: - A "beater" watch for an active IT guy. I've scratched and dented my Citizen Eco enough already. It was supposed to be my dress watch. - Solar charging. Nearly half the Casio's cost goes to solar charging & time calibration features. But it beats the cost of replacing a battery every two years. And I fully realize the watch's capacitor (battery) will need replacing in ten years or so anyway but it saves five visits to the jeweler leaving me wondering if the watch is water resistant after the back gets opened the first time. - Projected service life of 10+ years with extremely high marks for reliability. - Good width and height dimensions for a guy with a 7" wrist circumference. - As accurate as it can be. After synchronizing with WWVB, it was within 1/2 a second of my laptop's computer clock; important for an IT guy. - Easy to read display. - Extraordinarily "light" [weight] on the wrist.

Cons: - Side settings buttons on the watch. Very difficult to set preferences if your fingers constantly slide off the smooth surfaces. Honestly Casio, just how tough would it be to put a textured surface on the buttons? - Stupid resin strap watch band. My wrist seems to break out in a rash after perspiration gets between the band and my skin. The watch clasp also grabs things on my desk, like paper. - Stupid resin strap watch band. The watch "walks" all over my wrist, left-right, up-down .. but never staying quite where it needs to be when I want to actually get the time. See "Comments" below. - Thickness (height). A little thick for my preference but think the extra space goes to the solar charging panel. Can't do anything about that.

Comments: - I'm replacing the watch band. I've purchased a metal and resin bracelet band, Casio part # 91087117425 for Casio watch GW M5610BC 1JF; same watch as the GWM5610-1 with exception to a negative "stealth" display. The band is not normally sold in the U.S. but I did see one at a single U.S. retailer & several sellers on eBay for around $115 plus s&h. I've ordered my band from tiktox.com (United Kingdom) for $84.43 including s&h. Delivery is expected in the next eight days or so. That should eliminate the miserable band "rash" and wrist "walking" I've had to deal with. - This watch could also suffice as a prepper/survival" watch for its lack of maintenance, water resistance and durability. For a small additional cost, the Suunto Clipper Watch Band Compass ($17) would be a nice addition.

I'm not giving this watch a five-star rating because of little things like a crummy watch band and slick buttons; little things DO matter. But it's clear to me from other reviews this watch is about a solid value as can be had for the money. Kind of a shame a replacement band costs almost as much as the watch .. but that's just the way the mop flops sometimes.

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I spent weeks looking for a watch that wasn't too flashy, too bulky, or uncomfortable. And, I wanted something that will last. Well I found it. This watch is super lightweight, has a very slim profile, and is packed full of features. I have a small wrist, so I needed a watch smaller than the large G-Shocks.

Even being small in size, this watch still stands up to the larger G-Shocks, in strength and features. It is atomic, so you never have to worry about the time being off. Syncs even on my nightstand. This was one of the deciding factors for me because I don't like having to check and see if my watch is correct. Casio claims that this watch won't ever be off more than a second, if it is synced periodically. Oh yeah, and it's solar powered!

Another reason I got this watch is because it doesn't have very many exposed metal pieces. I wash cars for a dealership, and I can't have a metal watch that will scratch cars.

One of the big decisions I had to make while I was searching for a watch was do I want a negative display? And truthfully, I still don't know. This display doesn't disappoint. It is crisp, and easy to read in all light conditions, even dark at night under street lamps. My conclusion, I love it. But, someday I would like to try a negative display.

Overall, this watch beats every other watch I've looked at. It has all the features I was looking for and more. This watch is worth twice what it retails at. It looks great and just works.

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$95 is a bit steep, but the solar feature is going for a premium, these days. Otherwise, it's a fantastic watch. For the watch geeks: the screw back model is way overpriced. The standard flat back is perfectly waterproof and substantial.

PROs:DurableComfortableEasy-to-readTime, Date, Day displayed simultaneouslyBright EL lightAuto EL feature is very nice for one-handed operationAutomatic atomic date and time updates with confirmation and auto-retryNo maintenance or settings changes needed after initial setupRetro style is very coolNot as chunky or heavy as other G-shocksDisplay automatically turns off to conserve batteryBattery should be functional for 5+years. Some users report 10+ yearsSolar charging is quick and effective. Works fine with indoor lightComes in a very nice G-Shock tin--makes for a nice gift

CONs:Some people may not appreciate all the conspicuous labeling of all the features. Sometimes the labels aren't straight or levelButtons require more force to activate than other G-shocks, but also stops accidental pushesBattery will die in 10 months if not charged. The non-solar model (dw-5600e) will last yearsDoes not work well with non-G-shock bands. There are aftermarket adapters for other style bands, but it looks weirdComes with a mineral face as opposed to sapphire. Other lower priced watches offer sapphireCasio Men's WV200A-1AV Wave Ceptor offers very similar features at less than half the price of this model. So, you're paying a premium for style

Other Notes:Regardless of where it is manufactured, Casio has very keen quality assurance and you will receive a quality product. I replaced the resin strap with the official plastic/steel link bracelet. I think it adds a lot to the style and function. It is possible to invert the LCD without any extra parts other than a single polarizer.

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What a great watch! I had my first G shock for a month (will be returning it) and it's the GW6900 also a solar atomic and my first G shock.

I am tired of replacing a watch band it battery every year on my Timex expedition watches! At 50 years old that comes round pretty fast and it's annoying for sure. I always turned my nose up at shock watched due to the rather overbearing look and bold "in your face" kind of appearance. I don't know why, but I began to include them in my hunt the past few months. Only then did I learn there are reasons why these are popular and that the g shock name isn't just a bumper sticker logo to get your attention. It means "gravity shock"....and it means they are tough.Read the story of a normal guy who worked for Casio and was tired of dropping watches and have them break; and how he began making a tougher watch and unofficially testing them by throwing out a window a few stories high from his desk. HEY! This guy gets it! That's when I was sold.

I picked the 6900 because Kohl's had a sale and my wife works magic with Kohl's cash and such. It is a great watch and I have no complaints. But, even with that on my wrist I kept googling images and reviews of this 5610....And learned it is an updated version of the original g shock that guy from Casio invented in 1983 or so. Now that is something I can get behind and I don't lose any featured from my 6900 and gain a bit of crispness and thinness as well. Yeah, I am really liking this watch. The soalr charging keeps them darn battery replacement costs and stops from coming like it's a season in my life, and the toughness keeps my band in tact longer (to be determined of course).

Also, AMAZON sent this watch FULLY charged and set perfectly for my needs. Living in Rochester NY can make the complete charging if the watch a challenge in the winter months like now so I appreciate the attention to detail with the charging. Of course this is a Prime item do I ordered it on a Friday and was wearing it on Sunday! Yeah that's right; a US mail truck pulled into my driveway and handed me a package before noon on a Sunday. How cool is that? And hands down this was the best price available and beat many stores by $30 or more.

Who figured a watch would be so involved in my head with batteries and bands and not being able to find sn exact replacement when something failed every year or so? Well no more. No batteries, and the bands are available and reasonably priced. Somehow it feels different already and if down the road I need a replacement band it already has a different taste; much like replacing a wear item on a great motorcycle it ATV that you have. It's okay!

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